What Is A Spouse Visa
Spouse visa is a kind of visa that provides an opportunity for married partners to live and work in any country of your choice. You can apply for this family visa if you are the husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner (living together in a relationship for at least 2 years) , fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner (will marry or enter into a civil partnership in a certain country between 6 months of arriving)of a specified partner (see below) Some demand are terribly restrictive, for example, applicants must meet a crucial minimum income/finance amount, which has been subject to fierce legal battles and criticism from family groups.
What Are the Requirements for a Spouse Visa
To obtain a family visa as a partner or spouse, you must meet the following requirements:
- You and your partner both need to be 18 or over.
- Your partner must either be a citizen of that country
- You are in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in that country or you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply or you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in that country within 6 months of arriving
- If you are a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, you must be seeking entry to the said country to enable your marriage or civil partnership to take place in the said country.
- The relationship between you and your sponsor must be genuine and subsisting
- You intend to live permanently with your sponsor in the said country and have adequate accommodation without recourse to public funds
- Your sponsor meets the financial requirement. This would normally mean having an income of at least between $20,000 to $30,600 per year (this increases if you have children) and/or having sufficient savings depending on the country.
- You meet the English language requirement
How Do I Apply for a Spouse Visa
You can apply online. You would also need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre to enrol biometric data (photographs and fingerprints) as part of the process.
Not only will you need to fill in the application form correctly, you will also need to upload copies of the required supporting documents, which can be extensive.
If the caseworker examining your application has doubts about the genuineness of your relationship, you may be asked to attend a Spouse Visa Interview. You will be asked questions about your relationship and each other to see if your marriage is authentic.
What Supporting Documents Will I Need for Spouse Visa
Most officials of the country of choice will want to see the following documents (It is not an exhaustive list) included with your application:
Your current passport or other travel documents
Your marriage or civil partnership certificate
Divorce certificate for any previous marriages, if applicable
Details of any criminal convictions, if applicable
Your National Insurance number (if you have one)
Details of your accommodation in the said country
Bank statements
Evidence of employment income, if applicable
Your sponsor’s British passport or Indefinite Leave to remain document
Details of any children who are also coming to the said country
FAQ
Answer: You may be asked at a spouse visa interview will depend on the individual caseworker. However, examples may include:
1)When and how did you and your spouse meet?
2) Have you met your in laws?
3) Amount of income does your spouse earn?
You can contact us so that our team can conduct a mock interview with you both to help you prepare for the interview.
